Oldest Habitat for Humanity affiliate sues international group

MICHELLE ROBERTS

Published 6:00 pm, Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Associated Press Writer

The oldest local chapter of Habitat for Humanity has sued the international organization, saying an agreement being imposed on U.S. affiliates could force it to give up its name and locally raised donations.

Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio filed a suit in U.S. District Court on Friday, asking to be allowed to continue using the "Habitat for Humanity" name without signing the agreement. San Antonio leaders say the agreement gives the international group _ a previously loosely affiliated bunch of independent nonprofits _ broad power over the use of the name and the local groups themselves.

"Why try to run it now like a corporate franchise?" said Arthur Cavazos, a spokesman for the San Antonio chapter. "The board of directors looked at everything and said in good conscious, this is contrary to the mission of the original founding."

The 1,700 local chapters of the Christian charity are independent nonprofits that raise money, organize volunteers and select families for low-income housing in their communities. The San Antonio group, which built the first Habitat house in 1976, became an affiliate of the now-international group based in Americus, Ga., in 1978.

Local Habitat affiliates share the name, grant and training programs and are asked to "tithe" 10 percent of their revenues to Habitat affiliates overseas. But the 10 percent tithe hasn't been mandatory, and the San Antonio affiliate historically has only given about 1 percent to overseas groups so it can build more houses locally, Cavazos said.

The group fears the new agreement could give the international group power to force local groups to give the money, which would amount to about $600,000 annually, or the cost of building 10 homes in San Antonio. The homes, sold to families with no-interest loans, are mostly built by volunteers.

Duane Bates, a spokesman for the international group, said the board asked affiliates to sign the agreement to help formalize relationships between the international group and its local chapters as the charity has grown. He said it does not make the 10 percent tithe mandatory.

"The affiliates are local and autonomous and that remains true," he said.

He declined specific comment on the litigation, but he said Wednesday that a majority of affiliates have signed and returned the agreement. He could not say how many remained unsigned.

The group's staff has been contacting unsigned affiliates, but no decision has been on what will happen if an affiliate refuses, Bates said.

A board member and senior staff member of the international group plan to meet with the San Antonio chapter's board on Jan. 22.

Other local affiliates have expressed concern about the agreement but haven't sued.

The New Orleans chapter, which has been constructing a high-profile development for musicians and others displaced by Hurricane Katrina, has expressed concern about the agreement to the international organization and has not yet signed, said spokeswoman Aleis Tusa. She said the chapter still hopes the concerns can be resolved.

Cavazos said the San Antonio chapter has not sought to involve other local affiliates in its legal action.

"We're not trying to foment rebellion among the affiliates. This was an independent decision," Cavazos said.